Pulmonaria plant named ‘Silver Bouquet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of  Pulmonaria  plant characterized by dark pink flowers, medium flower size, foliage with prominent silvering, a medium compact habit, excellent vigor, and excellent tolerance to mildew.

Botanical denomination: Pulmonaria hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Silver Bouquet’.

Parentage: Pulmonaria longifolia ssp. cevennensis×Pulmonaria saccarata.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pulmonaria and given the cultivar name of ‘Silver Bouquet’. Pulmonaria is in the family Boraginaceae. The new cultivar originated as a seedling from PU-00-23, an unpatented experimental plant that originated from a cross between Pulmonaria longifolia ssp. cevennensis, as the seed parent, and P. saccharata, as the pollen parent. The plant was in an experimental field surrounded by proprietary clones of mostly hybrids of P. saccharata ×P. longifolia. The plant was open pollinated, the plant was bagged, and the seedlings were grown and evaluated. This new cultivar was selected for its heavy silvering, mildew tolerance, compact habit, and medium sized pink flowers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new Pulmonaria is distinguished by:

-   -   1. dark pink flowers;     -   2. medium flower size;     -   3. foliage with prominent silvering;     -   4. medium, compact habit;     -   5. excellent vigor and mildew tolerance.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg. shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may change with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the summer foliage and habit of Pulmonaria ‘Silver Bouquet’.

FIG. 2 shows the new variety in flower in the spring, growing in the ground in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Pulmonaria hybrid based on observations of two-year-old specimens grown in the ground in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year.

The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 5 to 9.         -   Spring size.—45 cm wide and 25 cm tall.         -   Summer size.—38 cm wide and 25 cm tall.         -   Form.—Clumping.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—Thickened, fleshy, white; propagates easily from             crown divisions. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Blade length.—Grows to 28 cm long.         -   Blade width.—7 cm at widest point.         -   Margins.—Slightly undulate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Surface texture.—Scabrous and sparingly glandular on both             sides.         -   Petiole description.—12 cm to 16 cm, scabrous and sparingly             glandular, Yellow Green 146A near blade and Greyed Purple             187A near base.         -   Color.—Topside silver, Greyed Green 194B with deep green,             Green 137A, occasional blotches along edges; bottom side             closest to Yellow Green 147C. -   Cauline Leaves: (These are found in the spring only on the flowering     stems. After the seed is produced these stems die out.):     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to ovate.         -   Length.—Variable, 4 cm to 10 cm.         -   Width.—3 cm.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Clasping, sessile.         -   Leaf texture.—Hispid.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Topside Greyed Green 194B with margins and blotches             of Yellow Green 147A; bottom side closest to Yellow Green             147B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal forked cyme.         -   Number of flowers per cyme.—12 to 37.         -   Number of inflorescences in first spring flush.—71.         -   Peduncle.—17 cm long, 4 mm wide, hispid.         -   Color.—Yellow Green 145B to Greyed Brown 199A in more light.         -   Pedicel.—2 mm to 5 mm long, hispid, Brown 200B. -   Flower Bud:     -   -   Size.—6 mm long and 5 mm wide where extrudes from calyx.         -   Shape.—Ovoid.         -   Color.—Red Purple 60C. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Actinomorphic.         -   Corolla description.—Funnelform, 1.8 cm deep and 1.5 cm             wide; 5 fused petals with rounded lobes; lobes entire,             obtuse; color changes with age from Red Purple 60C on both             surfaces to Red Purple 63C with tints of Purple 77A.         -   Calyx description.—5 fused sepals, 1.5 cm deep and 6 mm             wide, tubular campanulate, parted ¼ to base, entire, tips             acute, hispid, outside color closest to Brown 200A, inside             color between Brown 200A and Yellow Green 147B.         -   Pistil description.—One, 7 mm long, ovary 1 mm deep, Yellow             Green 144A, style 6 mm long, thrum type, inserted in the             corolla tube, Yellow Green 144D, stigma Yellow Green 144D.         -   Stamen description.—Anthers 5 in number, attached to and             inserted in the top of tube, Greyed Purple 187A, 2 mm long;             pollen White 155A.         -   Bloom period.—April to May in Canby, Oreg.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Seed:     -   -   Type.—4 smooth nutlets, Black 202A and shiny, typical of the             genus.         -   Fertility.—Low. -   Pest and Diseases: No powdery mildew has developed on this new     variety. Mildew is a common problem of Pulmonaria. Pulmonaria     longifolia ssp. cevennensis is one of the few Pulmonaria sp. that     does not have major mildew problems. Snails and slugs could be a     problem. -   Comparisons to Similar Pulmonaria:

Compared to Pulmonaria longifolia spp. cevennesis, one of the parent species, the new variety has dark pink rather than pink to blue flowers and leaves that are larger and much more silver in color.

Compared to Pulmonaria ‘Silver Shimmers’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,290), Pulmonaria ‘Silver Bouquet’ has dark pink colored flowers rather than blue violet. The flowers are smaller. Their habits and leaf colorations are similar.

Compared to Pulmonaria ‘Moonshine’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,686), the new variety has longer leaves and dark pink rather than very light violet blue almost white flowers. 

1. A new and distinct hybrid of Pulmonaria plant as herein illustrated and described. 